Abstract: In a PWM-controlled motor, a motor rotation frequency f, lock determination frequency d, and power supply voltage E are acquired (S1 to S3). The d is compared to the f (S4). When f is not less than that of d, Max.Duty is calculated by the following equation for setting: Max.Duty=D0*Kf (S5, S6). D0 is an allowable Duty value and can be calculated by [DP0=a?bE] (a: fixed Duty value, b: Duty characteristic coefficient). Kf is a frequency adjustment coefficient. Kf corrects the allowable Duty value D0 in accordance with the motor rotation frequency f and can be calculated by the following equation: Kf=1+(f?d)/c (c: restriction start frequency, d: lock determination frequency). When f is less than d, Max.Duty=D0 is set (S7, S6). When the motor enters a locked state, the Duty value is suppressed to not more than the allowable Duty value D0 to thereby suppress a lock current. This reduces a lock current at low temperature time to prevent demagnetization of a magnet as well as reduces a load of a switching device.

Abstract: In a motor unit integrating a motor and a drive control section, the drive control section has a stack structure in which two circuit component containing sections are arranged three-dimensionally with a bus bar being arranged between both containing sections. A printed wiring board on which signal system circuit components, e.g., a rotation sensor and a position sensor, are mounted is arranged in the first circuit component containing section. Power system circuit components, e.g., a FET and a relay, are arranged in the second circuit component containing section. The power system circuit components are mounted directly on the bus bar and are arranged substantially in parallel with the printed wiring board, with the bus bar interposed therebetween. The circuit component containing section is arranged on the outer surface side of the unit with respect to the circuit component containing section, and a heat sink is fixed to the outside thereof.

Abstract: A motor speed, duty, and power source voltage are detected (steps S1 to S3). Referring to a load point map, a load point value is obtained (steps S4 and S5). The load point map is created with the motor speed, duty, and power source voltage taken as parameters, and is corrected in accordance with atmospheric temperature of the motor. After the load point value is obtained, the value is accumulated (step S6). The accumulated point value and a predetermined threshold value are compared with each other (step S7). If the accumulated point value exceeds the threshold value, an overloaded state is determined and the accumulated point value is stored (step S8). Thereafter, the motor is stopped.

Abstract: A wiper device, wherein a sensor magnet 41 fitted to an output shaft 34 is so formed that when wiper arms 1a, 1b are positioned at upper reversal positions B relative to an origin position O, both hole ICs 37a, 37b are opposed to an S-pole and when the wiper arms 1a, 1b are positioned at lower reversal positions A relative to the origin point O, at least one of the hole ICs 37a, 37b is opposed to an N-pole, and when the wiper arms 1a, 1b are abnormally stopped, the sensor magnet 41 determines at the time of re-starting whether the wiper arms 1a, 1b are positioned at the lower reversal positions A or at the upper reversal positions B relative to the origin position O and always starts the wiper arms 1a, 1b toward the origin position O, whereby the positions of the wiper arms can be accurately detected by two hole ICs 37a, 37b and, after re-setting position data by re-starting the wiper arms toward the origin position O, the sensor magnet 41 performs a normal control.

Abstract: A motor unit of which the size is reduced by reducing the space of a control circuit section. In the motor unit integrating a motor and a drive control section 4, the drive control section 4 has a stack structure where two circuit component containing sections 33, 34 are arranged three-dimensionally with a bus bar 37 being arranged between both containing sections 33, 34. A printed wiring board 38 mounting signal system circuit components, e.g., a rotation sensor 40 and a position sensor 41, is arranged in the circuit component containing section 33. Power system circuit components, e.g., a FET 44 and a relay 45, are arranged in the circuit component containing section 34. The power system circuit components are mounted directly on the bus bar 37 and arranged substantially in parallel with the printed wiring board 38, interposing the bus bar 37.

Abstract: A wiper motor device, in which a drive circuit portion and an output shaft are disposed adjacent to each other, capable of preventing water from reaching the drive circuit portion in a case where water invades along the output shaft, using an extension portion in which a cylindrical portion is externally fitted to the output shaft extends from the cover surrounding the upper opening of a casing which accommodates the drive circuit portion, and the lower part of a waterproof cap attached to the output shaft is externally fitted to the upper end part of the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: In an opposed wiping type wiper apparatus, left and right wiper blades which perform wiping operations with a predetermined preceding-following relationship maintained are layered vertically at their lower returning positions. A wiper drive control unit controls preceding-following relationships between the left and right wiper blades to prevent locking and stopping of the wiper blades when the relationship has changed by replacing left and right control forms for the blades. When the timer of the wiper blade which is to be in the follower side during normal operation is not reset but overflows among timers which are respectively reset pulse signals generated in accordance with rotations of motors, the output of the motor which drives the wiper blade which is to be in the follower side during normal operations is increased.

Abstract: In a wiper apparatus for carrying out wiping motion with use of rotational drive of a motor, reverse rotation due to the application of external force on the wiper blade is positively detected. In response to the detection result, the motion of the motor and the wiper blade is controlled. The detection of the reverse rotation is carried our such that two kinds of periodic signals are generated depending on the rotation direction of the drive shaft, and the phase relationship between the periodic signals are arranged to differ depending on the rotation direction, and then the rotation direction is detected from the phase relationship. The wiper apparatus may be an opposing type wiper apparatus having a pair of wiper blades, and control operation of the wiper blades may be arranged such that the position taken by the wiper blade is detected by counting a number of pulses which are generated in association with the rotation of the drive shaft of the motor.

Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling an opposed wiping type wiper apparatus having a pair of wiper blades driven by a pair of motors, respectively. The wiper apparatus includes detecting means for detecting the angular position of the each wiper blade, calculating means for calculating the angular distance of one wiper blade relative to the other wiper blade, memory means for memorizing therein a reference table of target angular distances in advance for the wiper blades, and control means for controlling the pair of wiper blades so that the angular distance of each of the wiper blades is brought close to the corresponding target angular distance.The wiper apparatus also may control the wiper blade velocity. In this case, the wiper apparatus further includes a reference table of target velocities and the wiper blades are controlled based on the target angular distance and target velocity.

Abstract: The wiper control method is capable of preventing damages on a wiper due to erroneous operation of the wiper when a vehicle is subjected to a car washer with its wiper operation kept in an "AUTO" mode, and the wiper automatically operates without troubles while driving. The wiper control method is used for an automatic wiper system which automatically controls wiper operation of a vehicle by sensing the climate condition by a rain drop sensor 7, and the state of a door mirror of the vehicle is detected by a mirror folding detection switch 5. When the door mirror is folded, wiper operation control performed by the automatic wiper system is stopped so that the wiper is not operated even if the rain drop sensor 7 detects a rain drop.

Abstract: A direct drive type rear wiper in which normal and reverse rotation of a motor causes reciprocating wiping operation of a wiper blade of a vehicle such as an automobile, comprising a motor 1 which rotates in normal and reverse directions, a worm wheel 2 which rotates being interlocked with the motor 1, a relay plate 3 which rotates being interlocked with the worm wheel 2, four contacts S1-S4 provided facing the relay plate 3, and a control circuit 4 for switching direction of electric current for the motor 1. In particular, when the motor 1 is to be stopped at a turning position in reciprocating wiping operation of the wiper blade, electric braking is made to act directly on the motor 1 according to contacting condition between the relay plate 3 and the first and second contacts S1, S2.

Abstract: In a wiper system using a reversible motor for reciprocating angular movement of a wiper arm, a separate relay and a separate position detecting segment are used for selectively defining a path for regenerative braking. Because the third relay and the third position detecting segment are provided separately from those used for controlling the power supply of the electric motor, and are therefore relatively free from any large time constant, it is possible to start the regenerative braking action at a prescribed angular location without involving any substantial time lag so that the wiper arm can be stopped at a prescribed angular position at each terminal point at high precision at all times.